The Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) is going through one of its most delicate internal crises over the management of the so-called “Salazar case”, the scandal of alleged sexual harassment and abuse of power that implicates former Moncloa adviser Paco Salazar and his right-hand man, Antonio Hernández, both of whom, until just a few days ago, were part of the closest circle of trust of the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, who is currently surrounded by numerous corruption cases.
Who is Paco Salazar and what accusations is he facing
Francisco José “Paco” Salazar, a veteran member of the PSOE from Seville, served as the mayor of Montellano and subsequently became a member of the Spanish Congress. He also held key positions with Pedro Sánchez at the party’s headquarters in Ferraz and at the Moncloa Palace.
In recent months, several female Socialist members and staff who worked under him have internally reported behaviours they describe as sexual harassment and abuse of power: sexually charged comments, persistent invitations to private meetings outside working hours and offers to let them stay at his home, always in a context of hierarchical dependence.
As a result of these complaints, Salazar was removed from his responsibilities in the party and ceased to be part of the federal executive, as well as losing his position of influence in Moncloa. The events are being investigated under the PSOE’s internal anti-harassment protocols and could lead to legal action if the complainants decide to proceed, but for the time being, there is silence.
The role of Antonio Hernández, the dismissed right-hand man
Antonio Hernández, who has served as the director of the Political Coordination Department in Moncloa and has been a pivotal figure in the Government’s political operations, was regarded as Salazar’s right-hand man and his primary support in daily affairs.
The women who accused Salazar additionally identified Hernández as a supposed “accomplice” and “cover-up” of the misconduct, asserting that he was informed of the situation and did not take action to safeguard the victims, a statement he refutes.
In the midst of the scandal, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez chose to advocate for his removal from both Moncloa and the organizational framework of the Andalusian PSOE, a decision that has been formalized by the Council of Ministers in recent days and has been seen as an effort to cauterize the crisis and eliminate any semblance of complicity with the behavior attributed to Salazar.
Criticism of the PSOE’s internal handling and delayed response
Numerous press articles suggest that the PSOE required over four months to officially reach out to the victims following the initial complaints, leading to significant internal dissent and greatly tarnishing the party’s reputation. The operation of the anti-harassment committee has been scrutinized for its sluggishness, lack of coordination, and inadequate communication with the federal leadership, in a party that prides itself on its feminist stance.
At the same time, critical voices from within socialism are calling for a far-reaching reform of internal protocols and organizational culture, to prevent what they describe as “protective environments for alleged aggressors” and situations of abandonment for women who come forward.
The stance of Pedro Sánchez’s Government
The Government’s spokesperson and Minister of Education, Pilar Alegría, has insisted that the Executive has acted with “speed and determination” once it had formal knowledge of the accusations, highlighting Salazar’s dismissal, his removal from the PSOE executive and, now, the sacking of Antonio Hernández.
Alegría has publicly acknowledged that her recent lunch with Salazar —which took place when the complaints were already known— was a “mistake”, stressing that the focus of the debate must be on the victims and not on the political cost for the party.
At the same time, different reports point to a possible judicial front for the PSOE as a legal entity, based on the possibility that the courts might consider whether there was organizational responsibility in the handling of the complaints. Prosecutorial sources quoted by some media outlets mention the possibility that the party could be investigated for an alleged crime of sexual harassment as an organization, a scenario which, at this point, remains a legal hypothesis under consideration and does not imply any actual indictment.
Reaction of the opposition and political damage
The People’s Party (PP) has declared that it will leverage its Senate majority to summon Paco Salazar to testify before the committee regarding the so-called “Koldo case”, capitalizing on the public attention the former adviser has gained. From the PP, Sánchez is accused of being the president “most detrimental to women”, associating the Salazar case with other contentious incidents in the realm of equality and victim protection.
The entire opposition has concentrated on the sequence of appointments, dismissals, and reassignments involving Salazar, along with the claim that two of his closest female associates have reportedly been transferred to public companies in recent years, which strengthens the narrative of a trust network surrounding the former adviser within the state apparatus.
An open case that puts the party’s protocols and credibility to the test
The Salazar case, now also involving Antonio Hernández, has opened a deep political and moral breach in Pedro Sánchez’s PSOE, in a context marked by a social demand for zero tolerance towards sexual harassment and abuses of power in the workplace and in politics.
While internal proceedings and potential legal actions are still ongoing, the party encounters a dual challenge: on one side, demonstrating that its anti-harassment protocols function efficiently and prioritize victims; on the other, restoring the confidence of its electorate and public opinion, which is observing with apprehension the series of leaks, corrections, and dismissals related to the case.
In any case, both Paco Salazar and Antonio Hernández continue to hold, as of today, their right to be presumed innocent before the courts, awaiting full clarification of the facts and the potential initiation of criminal proceedings. The subsequent actions taken by the PSOE and Pedro Sánchez’s Government will be crucial in defining the political, institutional, and judicial reach of this scandal. However, for now, despite the legal obligation to do so, there has been no sign that the PSOE itself is lodging any complaint with the authorities, as has already occurred with other corruption scandals involving the party.